Improved coffin



" ALEXANDER w. HENDRLCK, or BATAVIA, ILLINOIS.

- `teem Patent Nq'. 95,109, daad samba 21,1869.

' Thezschedule referred to in these Lettirs Patent and making paxtof the same.

To all trimm 'it may concern:

Be it knwn that I ALEXANDER W. HENDRICK, of' Batavia, in the county of Kane, and in the State of lllinois, have .invented certain new and useful Im- `provements in10ofns; and do hereby declare that the following is a full,`clear, 'and'exact description thereof, reference being had Ito the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in whicb- Figure l'is a side elevation of my improved coffin; Figure 2 is a top v iewof the same, with the head and breast-piece of the lid removed; l I Figure f3 is a view of the lower side of the head and breast-piece of the lid; i i

Figure-4 is a vertical cross-section on the line :c :t`

` ofgsil and 12; and

Figure l5 isa broken vertical longitudinal section of Letters, of like name and kindrefer to like-partsiin each ofthe figures.

My invention consists in the peculiar form and construction `of the cofiinelid, and in the means employed for securing the .headand breast-partsof the sa'meto the coffin, as is hereinafter fully set forth.

" Inthe annexed drawing-iv- A represents the coin, of vusual construction, and `1B the lid, constructed in three sections, of which @represents thefaceboard,

` i D, the breast-board, and

.n the tney-umd.` i l Each section of tlielid is composedof threestrips,

lettered c, ,a'ndt, respectively,of which the centre strip is placed in a horizontal position,-crosswise,while `'the ,outside strips incline downward, so as to vgive a dome-shape to said lid. .This form and construction not only give the cofiina more elegant appearance,V

i but also enable `the sides thereof to. be Inademuch j lower than otherwise, by which means the apparent height of the whole is lessened. .As ordinarily construct d, the head `and breast-pieces are securedto the coffin by means of screws, which method of attachment renders the operation of closing the cofn slowi and extremely'p'ainful to the friends'of the deceased, allof which objections are .removedby my improved fastening-devices,which are described below.` l 'i The sections composing the head and` breast-'board are securedftogether, but are separate fromthe bQdyboard, so as to' allow of their adjustment to,for ref' moval fronithe coffin `without interfering with the latter. i I

Secured to, and projecting .outward from the ends i of the side pieces of the body-boardv or section, are two dowel-pins, e e', which tit into corresponding holes inthe ends vof the side pieces of the body-section, and hold the two sections firmly together. l, i

E F representftwo springs, secured at their lower ends to the inner sides of the coin, near its head, and projecting above the upper edges of the same, where eachl is provided with a projecting lip or' detent, x. Secured to the lower side of the side pieces ofthe head-section, directly above the springs F F', are tv@ plates of sheet-metal',-'G G, having inthe centreof each'an opening, corresponding with the ends of said Y springs, which ends project through they same suiiiciently to allow the detents thereon to en gage with saidv plates, and thereby iirmlylock the portion of the lid to which they are attached firmly upon the cofn.

The upper'or frontside of each detent slopes upward, so as to permit it to be pressed to onel side and p allow the plate G to pass, after which the spring re-l Y turns to'place and causes said detent andv plate to enage. In'order that the catches may be disengaged, so as to permit of the .removal of the lid, when desircd,astud,

gli', provided at one end with a'head, projects through Va suitabie opening in the side of the eoin, with said i headresting against the` spring, so that by pressing against the end of said stud, said spring or catch is sprung inward and released from engagement with the lid.

As thus constructed, it wilhbe seen that the exceedingly painful operation, to the mourners, of closing" the coffin, is rendered very brief, and, all of its heretofore Adisagreeable features removed, as, in order to aceomplish this object, it is only necessary to pass the' end of theV adjustable section over the'.dowelpins and i then press" said lid downward until. the spring-catches are engaged. fthe'stnds and. springs are pressed `inward as the lid is closed, all sound will be avoided.

Having thus fully se't `forth the nature and merits of my invention, y What/I claimas new, and desire to secure by'Let- The within-described coii`in-lid, composed of two transverse sections, and secured in place by means of the' spring-catches and dowel-pins, substantially as and for the purpose specified. In testimony thatI llaim the foregoing, Ihave herelunto set'myrhand, this 9th day of August, 1869.

ALEXANDER W. HENDRICK..

Witnesses:

THOS. MEREDITH,

l MIM, KEMP. 

